This time of year my inbox is bombarded with lists of “10 things” I can do better, change or improve about my life or self. (yours too?!) Frankly, it gets overwhelming. First because I know myself and I struggle to follow through, and second because it is all so appealing and tempting – I want to! 
Last year I decided to follow a fellow writer’s lead and resolved to choose “one word” to live by for the year. The idea came originally I think from oneword365. Mary DeMuth has written great blog about this and it inspired me and many others. I also love her authentic and genuine way of communicating her real pains and hurts in life. (more on her later)
How did I do last year?
I believe I lived well by my word : Presence. My goal was to be fully present wherever God had me, and to be in his presence more. I had much occasion to practice this in the course of saying goodbye to our old state and hello to our new state. There have been many times I reminded myself – just be HERE and NOW, not in the past, future or “I-wish-land”. (new phrase of the year?) And even when I fell short, I had my word to guide me (and God’s word) back to the path I wanted to follow. (Psalm 119:133)
So, without further ado, my 2013 word is REAL. It is aligned with this Proverb:
As a face is reflected in water,
so the heart reflects the real person.”
I desire to be real in my ministry, marriage, family and friendships. There is no such thing as a perfect Christian. We are all works under construction and God needs to continue to chisel, hammer and build me into the woman he created me to be. But I cannot pretend that I “have it all together.” Because I do not.
As a woman in ministry, and with a speaking and writing platform, I have to continuously balance self-revelation and self-preservation. I don’t want anyone to think I’m just talking the talk. I want to be walking the walk of genuine faith lived out as real as I know how. That involves revealing my heart, sharing my downfalls- which can be scary. It also means sharing my joys and successes – which can seem boastful. Thus; the fine line.
But since my desire is to encourage you, I will continue to navigate it as best I know how – being REAL as I can along the way.
As such, I have been profoundly influenced by a few women who are doing ministry, writing and speaking in an authentic way: Mary Demuth and a dear friend Michele Cushatt,. These women are as real as it gets. Both have inspired me have the courage to share even my ugly, hard truths in the name of building the body of believers. If we share just our joys, and not the struggles, we present a misconception of what it means to walk with the Lord in an authentic way.
Our lives will never be perfect. Jesus was very clear that in this world we will have trials. But he also promised he HAS OVERCOME the world. We are victorious as Christians no matter what this earthly life throws our way. In the meantime, I’m going to focus on being REAL – no matter the circumstance.
I would love to hear from you. Are you choosing a word for the year? Or did you last year? Maybe there’s another way you are working toward becoming the best New You you can be? Tell us about it!
